What the Fire Took From Us
by Jane Opries
Summary: Prequel to Patch Work. Ava followed her mother on what was supposed to be a Christmas vacation and turned into a new life at her uncle's inn. How can she handle her mother and a blooming and forbidden romance? This is 2 years before the fire. Contains some graphic material i.e. violence, sexual content, and sensitive topics.
1. Chapter 1

**Hello, hello, hello! Thank you for choosing What the Flames took from Us: A prequel to Patch Work. Yes, this is an Ava/ Bucky fiction and yes, it is about before the fire and B&C.**

**I may not get the characters right, but it is my interpretation of them, mainly Bucky and Ivan. The author didn't go into a huge amount with detail on them so they may seem a tad OC, but I will try my best at it. The first chapter will move pretty quickly, so if you feel it is rushed, it is just the first few, to get it moving. Nothing worse than a story that just drags and drags.**

**THIS WILL NOT BE IN ONE POINT OF VIEW. It will be in first, second, and third person. I want to touch base with Bucky and possibly Ava's mother.**

**This will be much longer than Patch Work and if you are looking for a quick read, this is not the story for you. It also isn't a very happy one nor is it light. It has suicide/abuse/tragedy and if any of those offend you, I advise you to find another story by the other wonderful authors on here.**

**If it is italized, it is Russian and you can translate it on Google, since that is where I get it any way.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Blood and Chocolate or any of the characters. I own Ava, Ingrid, and any other characters not from the book. Please do not steal my work or I will have to report you.**

* * *

_'The kiss was gentle, like rose petals on skin and Maria found a sob threatening her voice when she spoke. "I will always love you Robert, even when you are gone." She stroked the cheek of the one she loved, trying to be strong._

_"Maria, you will always be the one I lo-"'_

Ava closed the book and tossed it back into the box from which it came. Love...it only existed in books like the ones her aunt sent her for her birthday. Good thing her father didn't see them so she could secretly imagine what it was like, even though she didn't believe in it.

She could smell coffee and hear the sounds of footsteps moving around the old Victorian house that her father insisted on buying a while ago when she was 10. Rudy wanted to move to Maryland while the pack made refuge in West Virginia. Her uncle Ivan and aunt Esme bought an inn and from her understanding it was a very large and successful business.

She pushed the box back behind the other boxes that were forgotten in the old attic. Her mother never went past the ceiling door unless she felt it necessary. Climbing out of the square in the attic floor/hole in the ceiling, she heard faint voices. Her parents were talking? Maybe her mother was having a good day. _Doubt it._

Being so short she had to hang off the end of the latter and let go to drop on the floor. She was only 15; maybe she would still grow, like her cousin was. Last time she had seen her she was taller than her. Others teased her that a 13-year-old was taller. She didn't really care.

No school today, it was the beginning of Christmas vacation and she knew that she would have tons of chores to do before they left for West Virginia to see her family and former pack. It was hard to be her age and the only loup garou child with in miles. Maybe some time with her kind would help with the loneliness.

"Ava Lene! Are you up! Do not leave that door down again you hear me?" Her father called up the stairs. She found herself groaning and pushing the door upwards harder than usual. She grinned when it made a loud sound. "Don't slam it! Come down here, your mother and I need to talk to you."

He didn't sound too enthused about something and Ava had a feeling she was in trouble about something stupid again. He had been easy to upset lately and Ava wondered if it was because her mother had moved out of their room and into the spare room, claiming she couldn't sleep with him because of his snoring. They knew the truth.

She held her nose when she past the room where the man stayed with them. He was young and a stray and Rudy took him in until he had found a job. Months later he heard of Ivan and Esme's pack and left. She didn't like him. He was too cocky and flirtatious. He smelt like car grease, cigarettes, and after shave. She wasn't sure if she liked that smell.

She made it down the stairs and walked into the kitchen, walking by her father at the table and her mother at the counter to retrieve her cup of black tea, which her mother made her every morning. "Am I in trouble?" She asked, going to sit at the table with her father, not wanting to stand near her skeleton of a mother. The bags under her eyes told Ava that her mother had been out under the morn until the morning.

"No, we just want to tell you want we are doing today." Rudy smiled at her and she noticed that some grey was starting to show in his facial hair. He wasn't that young any more.

His wife walked from one counter to the other in strange silence, every now and then looking at her daughter with those doe like eyes. Ingrid, her mother, was from a strict Siberian pack and her past life scarred her so badly that trying to have a family only worsened her mental condition. Ava didn't know if she had uncles and aunts from her mother's family or if Ava's grandparents were still alive. Talking about her Russian past was taboo and it was taken as the unsaid known. Her mother was a ticking time bomb. She couldn't remember the last time Ingrid allowed her dad to touch her.

"You need to eat." She said, her strange accent twisting her words, and she turned toward the stove and put what looked like bacon and eggs on a paper plate. One thing that Ingrid kept up was the house and feeding her family.

Once the food was in front of her, her mother went back to the counter and looked around the kitchen with those eyes. Ava pushed her eggs around. "So what is it?" She had to push her long, dark waves behind her shoulder or it would become part of her meal.

Rudy sighed and sat back. "I can't go with you and your mother to West Virginia. Work had two people walk out and they are offering double pay for those who work extra shifts. I know you were looking forward to the family going, but our bills are getting harder to pay. Your mom's money stash is disappearing." He looked at his daughter with sad blue eyes. "I'm sorry honey."

She wanted to throw a fit. She wanted to call him out and yell at her mother. She wanted to but she didn't. "I understand. Don't worry about it." She shrugged. She started to wonder if he was really upset about it or that her mother persisted on going a trip, even though he wouldn't be able to come.

On the other hand, her aunt and her mother used to be close friends and her mother had no social life. She barely talked to her family. Ava continued on with breakfast and kept her thoughts inside of her head.

* * *

She had been looking forward to this trip, but now, she was just hoping it would go quickly by, like a summer day. She highly doubted it was for family and more for her mother to see if she could make a big escape. If she said she didn't want to go, her dad would have given her a disapproving look and chastised her for being rude. She wasn't in the mood to be told she was a neglectful daughter to a neglectful mother.

When they were packing the car, her father was trying to tell her mother how to get to the inn, since he had been there before. Ava couldn't help but notice how her father looked longingly at the car, as if wishing he could go or that Ingrid would change her mind and stay after all. Ava felt sad for him. How could anyone sit there and live in a dead marriage? When was the last time her mother pasted a longing glance at him or kissed his cheek? Ava had never seen it in her life. Maybe at one time they were young lovers, with eyes only set on each other. It had to have been quite a while ago.

"I wonder if there are any jobs there. You know, so you can have a summer job, _da_..." Her mother said quietly to herself as Ava tried to stay awake, if she fell asleep, her mother would get lost for sure.

"Yeah..."

"Maybe it will be nice there. There are kids your age."

Ava's eyes shot open. She knew it. It was too obvious. Her mother was planning on leaving. She did this, every now and then. Sometimes she took the car on a drive and didn't come back for days; she used to run into the woods for weeks and when she did she crawled back to Rudy, with teary eyes and sad apologies and promises of it never happening again. Rudy would forgive her and it would all go back to the same thing. But now she was trying to take Ava with her. It didn't surprise her that her mother was doing this, but it didn't mean Ava didn't get angry inside.

_If you say something she'll kill us both_. She thought bitterly. The sad thing was that thought was true.

"I don't think I could live in an inn." Ava said calmly, trying to tell her mother how she felt without letting her know that she knew about her secret. "I haven't even finished my junior year yet."

Her mother's eyes tightened and her gaze became a glare at the road, but she remained silent. Ava began to feel her anger boil up and she balled her fist. "What about dad? He still has the house; he couldn't leave to come here."

"_Doch_!" Ingrid said sharply. "_Ne budʹ takim idiotskim."_ She went ridged and kept her angry eyes on the road.

Ava didn't really understand Russian, but her mother used to talk to her solely in Russian, as if she could. Finally Ava caught on to a few things and began to respond. This made Ingrid content, as if her daughter speaking Russian was the only thing Ingrid craved. Since her mother only spoke when she found it necessary, their Russian relationship had slipped into silent stares and duties that neither wanted to carry out. But Ava knew she was being told to be quiet or that she was pushing her limits.

"_Da mat'." _She murmured.

After hours of silence and thoughts on how she would get out of leaving her father, her mother pulled into a small diner. The woman never ate, so Ava didn't know why she even stopped. Maybe she thought Ava needed food. "Mama, I'm not hungry."

Ingrid put the car in park and looked at her daughter with large eyes. "I thought a shake would be nice. How about some fries?" The last words faded as she stepped out of the car, leaving Ava looking after her as she walked up the little stairs to the door of the diner. Slowly Ava opened her door and got out, her heart pounding. Shakes and fries her mother's idea on how to cushion a painful confession. She did that when Ganma, Rudy's mother, pasted away. Her and Vivian were taken out for shakes and fries and then told by both their mothers that Ganma was no more.

When she walked into the diner, the smell of grease and coffee overwhelmed Ava's nose and it looked like they gutted out a small trailer and tried to make it into a decent restaurant. The result was a tacky, grease filled compartment area with an equally greasy and questionable staff. Ava kept following her mother into a booth and tried to sit still. She would have rather her mother took her into the woods and beat her.

After the waitress did her duties and retrieved drinks and took the orders for a basket of fries and milk shakes, Ava felt her face scrunch in anxiety. What would her mother tell her now, what was she up to now? Ava knew it had to do with the trip and going to the inn in West Virginia and why her father wasn't with them.

"Mama, I really do not want anything." Ava said softly, hoping her mother would let up on her relentless pursuit for grease and diary.

Her mother just stared at her hands and ignored her daughter. The dark curtain of hair was pulled back into a tight pony tail and it revealed the large doe eyes the flitted from object to object. The woman across from her was meant for snow and ice; days and days of forest to run and not be found. Not suburban's and moist heat that made you feel like you never left the shower. She was a woman of the north.

"You get married, have kids, but you never realize how hard it will be." Her mother picked up a salt shaker and moved it in between elegant fingers. "But it is even harder when you move from your home country with a boy who promises that your new life will be better than what you had...and it's not."

Ava bit her lip and tried to keep her breathing even. Her mother was cutting right to the chase. Her mother set down the salt shaker and looked at her daughter. "I love you, very much. Your _otets_ too, oh the goddess knows I do, but I can't stay in that house any more. I can't look in his eyes anymore and bare it. I am going to stay. Your father will come get you, if you want to go home." She tried to keep her eye contact with Ava, but her daughter looked away.

Ava nodded. She knew this what was going to happen. She wasn't going home with her dad like Ingrid said. No, she was going to stay at that inn, with her family and their pack, until she could graduate or until Ingrid decided to let her go. She was not going home any time soon.

"As for school," Ava found her answer. If Ingrid was talking about school then, no this was not a vacation. "You can go to the public school with your cousin and other pack mates or home schooled, like your cousin Sidda was before she left for California."

Ava felt her breathing increase and when her fries were set in front of her, she felt her stomach turn over. She excused herself and ran outside, right before breakfast made its reappearance. She was so angry she couldn't contain her reactions.

How dare she. How dare that woman lie to her so blatantly to her face! And now she was miles away from her home, from her father, her school...her life. She had another year of high school and all she wanted to do was to get through it and get her scholar ship for college. Now she had to start over and try to get a scholar ship in what she knew was a smaller school and had less opportunities. This was shit. Utter shit.

* * *

The inn was tucked away in the deep forest areas of West Virginia and it took many more hours of driving and listening to her mother trying to sell the idea to her, but Ava could not be consoled. She was not going to get over this that easily.

But when she saw the inn, it was like a heavy burden was taken off her shoulders. The tall building was old, but sturdy and guest walked around the area and some stayed in the shade of the wrap around porch. It almost seemed like a retirement home though, since most of them were older. A few boys were carrying some heavy bales of hay towards a barn that was downhill behind the inn, along with a few houses and what looked like another in, but Ava knew it was were some of the pack members lived. The houses were for families.

In the garden, there was a tan, tall man with wavy sun bleached hair. When he looked up his smile widened and he waved. Ava offered her uncle Ivan a small wave and a halfhearted smile. The girl with him, who had just as tanned skin and sun kissed hair, turned and her face turned into a sneer. Her cousin Vivian never had high thoughts of Ava or her mother and made it very clear. When her father noticed her unfriendly gesture, he nudged her and said something that made her shrug and wander off down towards the barn where the boys had been carrying the hay.

Ava left the comfort of the car first, not even waiting for her mother to say something and began to walk towards her uncle. Out of all her family, he was her favorite. He always had something positive to say or gave advice that was not to preachy. He held out his arms and embraced her patting her back. "Well hello gorgeous." He stood back and looked at her. "Thanks for the hug and who might you be?"

She laughed lightly at his joke. "Uncle Ivan, it's me, Ava Lene."

He kept up the charade and looked at her with squinted eyes then gave a hearty laugh. "Well, goddess, you are! You are growing up well kiddo. Your dad must be very proud to have such a pretty girl." He looked up and saw Ingrid approaching, her movements a little stiff from driving. "And such a beautiful wife. Hello Ingrid."

She smiled and took her turn hugging her brother-in-law. When she let go she turned and there was Esme, jogging up the hill from the barn and waved. "Ingrid! You made it."

Her aunt looked like she did the last time she saw her. Lean, beautiful, and fierce. A true alpha female. She stood next to her husband and looked over Ava and Ingrid. "Avie baby, you need to eat more, you puny thing, come give me a hug." She held out her arms and gave her niece a tight hug.

After they were done hugging, her uncle had them follow them up to the inn, where some elder couple sat on the porch, whispering to each other. Oh course they did not know that they could hear them, not understanding _loup garou_ existence. "Look at her, that woman, so sickly thin."

Of course they pretended like they didn't hear them and continued in. The interior was rather modern and polished, with the occasional southern touch to it. That is what Ava would have difficulty with...the accents.

While her uncle went on and on, she saw some of the pack in their uniforms, taking a peak at the two new comers. She saw Reneta and Magda standing by a red haired woman she knew as Astrid. When Ava looked at her, her lip went up in sneer. "Wanna go you little bitch?"

Magda elbowed her and Ava turned quickly around and kept following her uncle and aunt. Well, Astrid hadn't changed one bit.

* * *

Luckily for her, Ava did not have to share a room with her mother. Instead, they were put into the housing at the back of the inn. It was a nice, small apartment that was well furnished and two rooms. Ava thanked the goddess and quickly put her things away so she could sneak off; it wasn't that hard to get out either. Her window was above the roof and it all it took was her to open it and walk right out and jump down one story. She bolted from the building and went towards the trees.

Running after a long day in the car was like breathing after holding your breath. It was a relief. And the moon was has ripe, making it impossible to sit still inside of a building.

Once inside the trees and sure that no inn guests were in sight, she began to shed her clothes. She jumped as hoots and hollers bellowed from above her. She looked up to see six boys perched in the tree above her, just as naked and with grins stretched out on her face.

"Well are you just a nice sight for sore eyes." The one with the longer, dark hair said. She knew him as Axel, and her father had always warned her to stay far from him.

"I can't see to say the same." She rolled her eyes and continued on.

She heard them drop on to the forest floor and felt an arm wrap around her. "Now, now darling, be nice. It has been a few years since I have seen you and by fucks sake you have filled out." She felt his breath on her ear.

"Yeah she has." One of the twins, Finn jutted around them and stood in front of her. "But no like Vivie."

Her nostrils flared and she flung Axel's arm off her and pushed past Finn. A couple of the boys let out a low whistle. "Well, challenge accepted." One of them said.

She didn't even think twice before taking off at full speed. They wouldn't catch her; they were too clumsy with their unsure feet. She was to small and graceful. She jumped and in midair, felt her bones shift into another form. By the time she hit the ground, she was no longer a small girl with large eyes and long dark hair, but a creature that resembled a wolf. A creature that crushed the earth under feet and howled at the partially ripe moon that appeared between the trees. She was a goddess.

Suddenly, a few dark shapes were flanking her and she skidded to a stop. They were not the boys she had just fled and much larger and the smell the produce were not of adolescence. She stopped slowly and they seemed to be just as equally surprised at her. Two of them were dark, one much larger than the other and the third one had light grey fur.

Oh she knew who they were. She didn't know what was worse, the Five or the motley crew they had just stumbled upon. The bigger one was Gabriel Dirigeant, with his cocky grin and his powerful muscles. The other two were Bucky Dideron and Jean Marcum, Jean being the smaller brown one. Bucky used to be the one that lived with her family and she always had to hold her nose when she walked by his old room. He seemed to recognize her as well because he let out a huff and pawed the ground. Men. That is what they were. Evil men.

When they began to shift back, she followed suit and was greeted with the sight of muscles...and other manly parts. She blushed and kept her eyes on their faces.

Bucky had changed from a raggy stray to a clipped and partially clean man, who still smelt like car grease, cigarettes and after shave. And the last time she had seen Gabriel he was half the height he was and she doubted he could fit through a door.

"Well, hello there baby girl, long time no see." Bucky smiled and his southern drawl deepened with his teasing. She wanted to smack him. She was not his baby girl.

"Who is that?" Gabriel tilted his head and then a big smile spread over his face. "Hey isn't that Ivan's niece, that little girl who beat the hell out of Ulf?" He crossed his arms and her lips hardened and thinned out. Ulf had deserved what he got. No one touched her jello cups. Granted they were only five or six at the time, but she had showed him who not to mess with.

Jean chuckled and nodded, his floppy hair moving with him. "Miss Ava, nice to see you."

She kept her body rigid and her mouth tight. They were about as rude and crass as the Five, when they wanted to be and she was sure that they were enjoying teasing her. She sniffed and held her head high. "Hi."

"You ok tid bit? You look all sick and shit, maybe someone needs to catch you a rabbit." Gabriel winked at her and she blushed furiously. What the hell was his edge talking like that?

"Watch it now, she is only fifteen and Ivan and Esme would have your ass. Her daddy is nothing to piss at either." Bucky kept his blue eyes on her and looked up and down her body. "But it is a shame. You are looking good there baby."

She scoffed and turned and began to walk away. All she wanted to do was run and between them and the Five, no one wanted her to enjoy the night.

"Hey you call me when you turn sixteen alright sweet cheeks!"

_Oh baby, oh baby how hot you get me. _She mentally called. _I wouldn't call you if you were the last man on Earth._

* * *

**Yay! Finne! Tell me how you like it so far. I know and like I said before, the first couple of chappies will be a bit rushed. This will be quite the story.**

**Songs I listened to for the chap:**

**Lana Del Ray- Born to Die**

**Shiny Toy Guns- Somewhere to hide**

**Florance and the Machine- Rabbit Heart**


	2. Chapter 2

**So I am sad/ happy to say that December will be pretty slow for writing. I will be in 7th heaven as my boyfriend will be home for the whole month of December. Even Facebook will suffer. I will however try to keep it up in the month of January.**

**Also, if you can, please try to review. I like hearing feedback from my readers, even if they are not happy.**

**Thanks!**

* * *

Ava was sure that her uncle secretly hated her and that waking her up at 5 a.m. to show her how to make his special muffin batter was his way of showing it. But really she knew that his own daughter wasn't interested in learning and he just wanted to share with someone. Might as well be his niece.

"So you take a teaspoon of cinnamon..." He kept commenting as he dumped the tiny spoon full of cinnamon into the batter. "And I usually spread it around so you don't get those nasty powder balls." He made a face that made Ava giggle. He had the best expressions. "And then take all those apples you just hacked into lil' pieces and dump them in, but make sure when you do those apples, that no one is around or there will be none to put in."

"When that jerk lived with us I tried making these really neat bacon cups, where you put the bacon into cupcake holders and pour an egg in there, ends up making a bacon wrapped egg, and he ate all of them before daddy was even up." She rolled her eyes.

"Oh yeah? You have to teach your ol' uncle how to make those." He cleared his throat and kept on with adding ingredients to the batter. "How is your dad? He doing ok?"

Ava looked down and shrugged. "I guess so. He didn't look too happy when we left. He didn't get to come with us this year." She sighed. "I wish he did."

Ivan put the spoon down and looked at his niece with saddened eyes. Ivan couldn't imagine having his daughter taken from like Ava had been taken from Rudy, but then again, if it was for his wife's life, maybe letting them go would be the only option. "You know you are not here for a visit baby, right? She told you that, yes?" He said quietly as some of the early morning staff walked by them with trays of fruit for the early birds.

Ava bit her lip and shook her head. "Not really, she said I could go home with dad when he comes this weekend...I don't think I will be able to." She blew some air out and made a small raspberry on her lips. "I guess I am going to live here."

Ivan's eyebrows shot up and then hurried into a frown. "That was the original plan. Your dad called to tell me that. I guess not everyone got the memo."

"He tries to protect me by doing that. I know he means well so I don't get angry. It's mom who I can't stand." She took the smaller bowl and took it over to the sink.

"Don't hate your mom. That lady is terribly sick and I don't understand why but she is and right now she thinks this is best so as her family, we are trying to help her."

Ava turned and looked at her uncle. "Don't get your hopes up. It hurts."

* * *

What also her parents forgot to mention, was that her aunt had hired her on as a part time house keeper and hostess and the first thing that she had to do as soon as she left the kitchen with her uncle was go into training. Esme was already in her well-kept uniform, which was; thank the goddess, not a dress but what looked like scrubs.

"You have a choice for colors of your uniform and trust me you do not want the green." Esme took her into the office and opened a cabinet. "Those look like you had a baby take a good shit on you." Esme pointed at her blue one and shrugged. "I got the cheapest ones. I mean not even my ass looks sexy in these, not that it is your goal or anything."

Ava blinked as she looked as she looked at the array of baby pink, puke green, and strange blue scrubs. She wasn't sure which one would make her look sicker. "Is my mom going to do this too?"

"No she is a waitress in the dining room. I didn't think you would like people in your face all the time. That lady cannot be alone anyway." Esme looked at her and handed her the baby pink. "Here this will prevent you from looking like you are moments from death."

Ava took it and sighed. "If I told you I didn't want to..."

Esme scoffed and put her arm around her niece with a sweet grin. "Ava, you are a tough girl and you need to learn how to take care of yourself because in the end that is who will be taking care of you: Yourself." Ava knew what Esme was saying. Don't depend on your family. It was true in Ava's case.

After that the next few hours were taking beds apart, cleaning bathrooms, wiping down every surface that ever was and putting clean linens in the rooms. Ava felt like a nit wit next to her aunt who had the room done in 15 minutes. Thankfully Esme had more patience for Ava than she had for the Five, who constantly walked the halls with their dirty work boots and annoyed the older boys who were trying to fix the plumbing on the 2nd floor.

Of course when they walked by they perked up and smirked, whistling at Esme who rolled her eyes but Ava could see the smugness in her eyes. Jean winked at Ava and the girl had to look away.

"Hey, you two should go to my apartment, clean my house. No uniforms necessary there." Ava heard one of them call but missed who.

"What pigs. Oh well, they're our pigs." Esme said while breathing out air. "You have a boy Ava girl?"

Ava wrinkled her nose. Of course not. She had school and books that took up her time. Not only had that she had her art work as well. Her and Vivian used to work together on small projects before Vivian left and decided her cousin was of the devil. "Truthfully I do not even have the slightest interest in having one for the simple fact that they are just annoying." She remembered Axel's teasing and the other 3 that did nothing but suggest things that most 15 year old girls weren't sure what they were talking about.

"Ava, if you wait for men to not be annoying, you will die a virgin with a ton of cats." Esme opened the door of a vacant room and peeked in. "Ok, so as you can see this room is marked off for being clean but the beds are unmade. Probably the Five again." Esme rolled her eyes. "I think you will never make a bed again as long as you live."

Later that day when Ava had been released and told to get ready for dinner, she began to wonder the reasoning behind Ingrid's move. Leaving was one thing, Ava was used to that, but why take her daughter that she never really talked to in the first place? Did she see Rudy as an unfit parent? At least he didn't try to run away and when he was around he didn't pretend she wasn't there. Her father was a good man. She was not blessed with a good mother.

After giving up on these thoughts she took a long shower and took even longer lying on the bed naked, air drying her body out. She liked the feeling of being in her skin and not being confined to her clothes. Her ears picked up when she heard laughing outside her window. She peaked out the blinds to see the Five with her cousin, all of them with cigarettes, well except for Vivian. They seemed to be laughing at a story that Gregory just told and the twins joined their cousin on his extensive tale, causing more laughter.

Vivian hung off the arm of Rafe, but her gaze was straight on Axel. Ava scoffed. That poor girl always put herself in bad situations. She was going to cause a fight.

Finally Ava came to her senses and decided that maybe food was a good idea after all, she had forgotten breakfast and Esme usually didn't take lunches and forgot about Ava. Ava forgot lunch as well so she wasn't bothered by it.

She settled for a tee shirt and regular jeans and walked out of the building without shoes. She ended up walking out into the crowd she had just been spying on, with Gabriel and Bucky watching from the door way. The boys kept up with their laughter but Vivian sent a distasteful look at her, staying firm on Rafe's arm.

"Well, there she is." Axel cooed at her and turned in her direction. "We missed you all day."

They giggled and Vivian scoffed and pretended to be impassive about Axel noticing her. Bucky sent Axel a dry look and Gabriel just smirked. Axel continued her way and put a hand on her head. "Especially me. I feel so neglected."

"Get your hands off of her and leave her be. She's too good for you any way Axe." Bucky barked at him. Axel let out a slight growl but knew he was unmatched between Bucky and Gabriel.

Ava ducked under his hand and dodged around the group of pack mates, despite the grabbing hands of the boys. They always wanted to touch things. Before she knew it Bucky was swatting away the hands and walking with her, hands in his pockets. "So, kiddo, how have you been?" He said once they cleared the Five.

"Fine." Why was he following her? To keep the other from bugging her perhaps? In her eyes he was no better.

"Just fine? Well, I suppose." He retrieved a pack of cigarettes from his pocket and placed one in his mouth. "Glad to see you decided food was your friend after all. You were too thin when I was there." He lit his smoke.

She sneered at him and crossed her arms. What did he mean she was too thin? She always ate...except for today. "Well you are no better. You just look like someone got a hold of steroids when they were 12." He wasn't very tall, but he wasn't very short either. His shoulders were a bit smaller than Gabriel's, but Ava always thought that Gabriel was some kind of mutant anyway. She was happy when she saw the inn behind the trees.

"You don't really have people skills do you?" He kept his smile going.

Ava walked faster and could feel her aggravation spike when he matched her pace. "Please I don't know what you want, but can you not harass me or even talk to me? I don't really like you."

Bucky looked at her with confusion and then laughed. "You are a blunt little fucker. I just don't like how Axel looks at you. You need to stay clear of that kid, ok? I know Vivian hangs with that lot, but don't get tangled up in that mess." His tone grew serious and something told Ava that Axel had pushed one to many buttons on this pack.

"Didn't plan on it." She murmured.

He shook his head and walked her to the back door of the inn. "Well I would go in with you to dinner but Gabriel and I have a bar to inhibit." He nodded at her and went to walk away but changed his mind. "Hey, I have that old car of your dad's and he said to give it to you so you can learn to drive. I have to do maintenance on it if you want it but I just wanted to let you know you have a car waiting for you." He turned away for good this time and went back the way they just came.

She had a car? Merry Christmas from daddy.

* * *

"That is the problem Ivan. She is out of control! She has been up later than we agreed on, she is refusing to help out and not only that she is getting caught with Rafe behind the bushes!" Ava stayed were she was at. She had been going back to the little room of her's when she stumbled across her arguing aunt and uncle in the trees, away from pack and human guest's ears. If she moved from her little bushed area they would notice her and she didn't want to be accused of peeping.

"Esme, she is 13, they were only kissing. She is just going through a teenage rebellion. I did it when I was her age and you still go through it." Ivan responded in a tired voice.

"Without her shirt? Ivan, that girl is going to end up like I did when I was 16. Pregnant and married. Come on, I mean it worked out for us but that is not a life I wish for my baby. You need to talk to her about this."

"Why can't you? You are her parent as much as I am." Her uncle sounded defensive. Men usually didn't like being cornered and Ava knew her uncle was no exception, especially since he was an alpha.

"She doesn't listen to me! I have tried but she is too much like me. Ivan I don't ask you for much but this is one thing I need your help on, is it so much to ask that I have help with our daughter?"

There was a moment of silence and then her uncle sighed. "Do I not help you with her?"

"I don't were we are right now Ivan, but all I know is that our baby girl is on a track right now that is worse than Astrid. I don't want her to end up like her and I. You are a good father but sometimes I wonder if you are being to kind to your daughter. She will listen to you."

"Esme...she is only 13, not 16 and Rafe is much better than Axel or hell, the older guys. I will talk to her but you need to understand that she is just a kid and she is going through that stage that is the worst one: puberty."

Ava hated 13. She hated 14 and 15 wasn't turning out any better. Being a teen was a burden. No one treated you like you had a brain cell working and your emotions were always over exaggerated. Got dumped? End of the world.

"Just talk to her please."

After a few moments of silence, Ava began to move silently toward the building were her warm bed welcomed her. "Ava."

She stopped in mid crawl, her arm stretched before her. She sighed and stood up. "Sorry...I was just going back to the-"

It was only Esme standing there and the look on her aunt's face told her that she was comforted by her alpha's words. Ava looked down and wished she hadn't heard anything.

"You want ice cream baby? I could go for a float right now." Esme ran a ran over her forehead, as if erasing all her stress and worries.

Ava wasn't really the kind for ice cream but she was sure that her aunt needed to get out of there for just a while. Not only that but Ava was starving for some time away from other pack members with their jokes about her weight and size and her lack of femininity. The Five only teased her to get her worked up and she was already sick of it. "Ok."

* * *

The ice cream in front of Esme began to melt slowly as she stared out the window of the little parlor in the town down the way from the inn. They saw a couple of pack members about and even ran into a tipsy Gabriel and Lucien. Lucien liked the drink but he usually kept his head level.

"You know, I thought raising a kid was not going to be this hard." Esme finally said and played with her spoon. "I mean you weren't so bad with your dad and mom." Her words became muffled as she rested her chin against her palm.

Ava wanted to laugh. "I have no friends...kind of hard to get in trouble when all you do is read and draw pictures of people who don't even know you."

Esme nodded and laughed. "Yeah I guess so. I should be glad she has friends but those Five...maybe I should just let it go, like a first offense."

Ava shrugged and tapped her soda glass with her fingertips. "I don't have kids so I can't really give advice."

Esme hawked a laugh and waved her hand. "That is why I asked you and not another bitch to come with me. Ava I get advice from every one and anyone who thinks they can raise a child, even those who have been there don't understand. Each kid is a different experience and I only had one." She looked at Ava with tired eyes. "I just am tired of being hated by my only kid and feeling like I failed in the career of motherhood."

"Oh Aunt Esme..." Ava felt saddened for her aunt and angry at her cousin. But then again Vivian was just a kid like uncle Ivan said. But why did she have to be so rebellious? "I think you're a good mom and a great aunt, if it counts."

Esme smiled at her and took a deep breath. "Actually, it does. Thank you baby. Now, let's go make sure the boys aren't too far gone. They have to fix up the side of the barn in the morning. Damn horses chewed the shit out of it. Axel hasn't been letting the poor things out into the grazing area for a while."

Once the bill was paid, they left and ventured out into the chilled air. The bar was only down the street and the streets were empty and only illuminated by the few street lamps that were lit. The town only housed 300 or more people, but there was still only one main street where all the businesses were lined neatly against the road way.

The bar, though, was bluntly obvious to the eye. The illuminated beer signs in the windows and the drunks smoking outside the door where the major indications. Once inside, the loud music, yelling of men, and the smell of alcohol and sweat only proved its bar standard. By the bar area stood about 5 men, one of them being Gabriel and the other Raul. Next to them where Rolf, Bucky, and Jean, who looked to be having an argument about what sexual position it was best to have their women in.

Once they were spotted Jean and Bucky put on polite smiles and Rolf turned toward his brother. Esme rolled her eyes and approached them with a slight sway in her hips. "You boys weren't going to stay out all night, were you?"

Jean chuckled while Bucky pointed his bottle at Ava. "She isn't supposed to be in here you know. Some horny old man could grab her ass and we just don't want that." Jean began to laugh while Gabriel and his group turned to the conversation.

"Oh plug it Bucky. I want that barn fixed tomorrow, all of you. No excuses and if I have to come to your rooms and get you up I will personally skin you." Esme tossed her hair and gave the boys haughty looks. Some of them smirked and exchanged glances that said they enjoyed the sight of a beautiful woman, while others continued with their drunken stupor.

"But dearest Esme, I have to get your darling niece's car fixed up so she can drive away in her big escape from our inn." Bucky pouted slightly and Ava knew that inside, Esme was dying to flirt around. Her aunt though, was a very loyal woman to her alpha.

Esme looked at Ava with a question that no one spoke. Ava shrugged. "I guess my dad gave him a car and he is going to fix it for me."

Esme scoffed and shook her head, giving a pointing look at Bucky. "No excuses. Barn tomorrow."

As they were leaving, Ava overheard Jean talking to Bucky. "I am really upset she is not of age...what an ass."

* * *

**Ok! Chappie #2 Finne! Yay!**

**So, go forth and review and then prosper!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Hello again! I just want to thank my readers for taking time out of their day to read my story. Anyway, you can obviously tell that the men in the pack like to harass and embarrass the women who surround them. Don't worry, I am not hooking any one up right away, that makes for a bad story!**

**I kind of want to hear your thoughts on Ingrid and her relationship with her daughter. It is not supposed to be a healthy one, since her mother is obviously up the wrong tree. **

* * *

It had turned into the day of Christmas and it had flown by with out a word or sight of Ava's father. Ingrid barely seemed to noticed her husband's absence and the questions asked by the pack were easily tossed to the side. Her uncle tried phoning Rudy several times, but to no avail. Ava left a message on the answering machine, but had heard nothing back. When her aunt and uncle tried to console her, Ava retreated to her room for peace and to let a few tears drop into the palms of her hands.

Why would her father not answer his phone? Why was he not here?

Ava had to admit to herself that she forgot all about the holiday, despite all the decorations and the buzzing activity of the pack. Luckily her father and mother had presents prepared for all the people who mattered. Vivian received a gift card to her favorite mall shop; Esme took a liking to a jewelry box her brother had made her and Ivan equally liked his new tool set, since the Five had totaled his personal kit.

Ava had presents under the tree in the lobby downstairs but she did not feel like joining the party commencing in the front parts of the inn. She would go and get them later and open them in the privacy of her own room.

After was seemed like a good half hour in her room she heard a sturdy knock on her door and doubted it was her mother or Esme. She sighed and rolled over on her bed putting the pillow over her head as she yelled out the door was open.

When the door opened, the smell of beer and male musk floated in and Ava wrinkled her nose. When her shoulder was prodded she smacked at the hand and pulled the pillow off to glare at the intruder. Jean smiled broadly at her and let out a light laugh, his beer bottle still firmly in his palm. "There you are."

She sat up and ran her hand through her hair. "Where else would I be?" She asked with annoyance.

He set down a bag that looked to hold several small presents and a plate of traditional holiday cookies. "Well, your uncle said you were upset and since your cousin refused to bring your presents to you because of her 'mightier than thou persona', I said I would, even though you hate me." He winked at her and sat next to her on the bed.

"I don't hate you I just don't find it funny when people stare at my ass." She muttered and pursed her lips slightly. "You came alone?"

He shook his head and nodded toward the door. "Bucky in downstairs trying to entertain the Five. Stupid shits are gonna get this pack killed. They all got caught yesterday nipping at some guy's heels down the road near a creek. Gabriel told Ivan and they have been in the shit house all day. Bucky and I have been in charge of keeping an eye on them and I can see why you don't get along with the people your age. You're not like them."

Ava didn't know why he felt he had to inhabit her room or continue a conversation with her, but for the first time he wasn't harassing her and making crude jokes. She shook her head and scooted toward the edge of the bed to retrieve the bag he had brought. "You don't know what I am like."

He scoffed at her and watched her as she dug into the bag, setting the plastic wrapped goods aside and sorting through the presents. Finally Jean spoke again. "Your dad's car broke down and he has been searching for a place to help him fix it all day. He hasn't called because he isn't home. Thought you'd like to know, so don't hold it to him."

"I don't blame him for anything that happens. I never can." She tore open a crudely wrapped gift from her uncle and found a book about a girl falling in love with a guy from the wrong side of the tracks. She bit her lip and genitally slide it under the bed while Jean continued to laugh a bit.

"Well, I guess he just thinks you need to get on that love life thing that everyone is all pinched about." He nudged her arm and she wrinkled her nose.

"I actually like those books...aunt Esme sends them to me some times, even though my dad said not to."

The next package came from the said woman and her aunt out did herself with a beautiful dress for special occasions, since Ava had nothing to wear for such things. She wasn't surprised to find Vivian's gift had Esme's writing on it and opened it to reveal the same kind of gift card that her cousin had received. "Oh moon, they want us to converse like we like each other." She groaned. She would have to find a way to the mall by herself to avoid going with her cousin and her hooligan tag alongs.

"Maybe it is a phase they are going through, you know? Like what Gabe and I did with a couple of the girl who used to live here. Man we would get into so much shit. We accidentally set the kitchen on fire by spraying the sink with hair spray and setting it on fire. You are kind of boring, you don't do that kind of stuff." Jean gave her a lazy look.

Her lips thinned and she huffed up slightly. "I didn't invite you in here you know."

"Relax, little sister, better to be boring than to do shit that could kill people." He rolled onto his feet with out spilling his beer and looked at her. "That is why people like you; you're down to Earth. You don't try to lie to yourself and others. That is also why they pity you too. You don't relate to others. If you were older you would be a great person to court. Some of the men in this pack need a woman who can keep their feet on the ground." He smiled gently and set down his bottle on the dresser. "Me, hell, I don't think I ever want a mate, I just want to roam free and be an asshole and drink beer with my buddies."

She frowned and crossed her arms over her knees, starting to wonder why he was talking to her about this. Then she remembered he was slightly drunk. When she remained silent for a few more seconds he continued on. "I mean shit dude, it is hard enough to be a loup garou but on top of that there is limited mates and many rules around it and kid, do yourself a favor and just wait until you are 20. Did you know according to an old law that the biggest gap between a man and his mate can be 20 years and the girl can be as young as 14 if the parents arrange it? I asked Persia and Orlando on it and he said that it was true and they would up hold to it if the occasion arise. You need to protect yourself baby girl because some one from another pack can come get you and your mother is just stupid enough to consent to it."

She felt herself shrinking back. "Why are you telling me this?"

He didn't really know the answer himself telling by the look on his face. Suddenly his face sobered slightly and his usual posture came back. "Because you are a gift. That's why." He turned toward the door and made his way slowly towards it, his steps a bit lazy. He turned at the door way smiled at her. "Merry Christmas, girl. Don't let those males chase you like some kind of game." He closed the door and Ava let out a steady stream of breath that she had been holding for a second to long.

What the hell was that?

* * *

The week after Christmas at the inn was very slow. During the winter season most had seasonal jobs else where. Those who worked in the dinning room however did remain some what busy as the little eatery was popular for it's comfort food. Some elderly couples had ritual Sunday breakfasts there or some families liked how friendly the staff were.

School however, started again for Vivian and the Five and the pack could finally breath that they were once again per-occupied and less likely to get in trouble. Rafe's mother and father, Gwendolyn and Lucien, tried to ground Rafe, but the boy knew how to pick the locks that had been placed on his bedroom windows.

But it was harder for Ava. She wanted to go back to school and finish her last 2 years of school, though Ingrid had spoken to Ivan about homeschooling for her. When her father finally was able to make it down, she pleaded to him to let her go back to school, but she knew he could only do so much.

After the plea they went into the dinning room which was currently empty and Rudy sat nervously across from his daughter. Ava looked out the window next to her, watching the few men of the pack carry logs for the fire toward the inn from the barn area.

"I want to go home." Ava said after a few moments of silence. "To hell with mom."

For once Rudy didn't chastise her for her comment. He instead looked sadly at her and shook his head. "I would do anything to take you with me, baby girl, but you know I can't do that."

She hit the table and looked at him. "My education has been downsized to a few books that _she _wants me to read and what _she _feels important. I have lost the opportunity to get that scholar ship I have worked hard at and my art lessons are no more. I would kill to even go to the one's Vivian goes to. Daddy this is bullshit."

"Ava, watch your language." He scratched his chin in thought and then shortly gave up on whatever he was thinking. "This is hard on me too. Your mother...she..." He sighed and set his hands down. "She is really sick Ava and we don't know how to help her." He looked around the dinning room with anxious eyes. "I didn't want to tell you but the reason she really is here because I don't want you to be the one who finds her when she hits the end of her rope."

Ava's mouth opened slightly and she looked at her father in horror. She knew there was something wrong with Ingrid, but how bad could it be? "End of her rope?"

He looked down at his hands and nodded. "She insisted to have you though. That is why you two have different rooms and they try to keep you preoccupied. I wanted to hide it but you are a smart girl and would have figured it out anyway. Plus she is getting a little bit better here with the pack and she is starting to pay more attention to you. It is saving her Ava...I am just sorry it is at your expense. I wish I...I was stronger."

Ava had always known the love her father had for her mother had been strong and unquestionable. Many a time he had made major sacrifices to keep Ingrid at least in the same house as him. The fear he had of losing her was pathetic at times and Ava found herself pitying her father.

She laid her hand over his and patted the calloused knuckles of her father's hands. "Dad, no matter what...I will never hate you because you love mom with out a question. I guess my wish would be that she would understand what is happening to us."

He smiled sadly and patted her hand and laid a kiss on her knuckles. "You and her are the world to me. It seems though, I can't make one happy with out pushing the other towards misery."

Ava remained silent after that and her and her father continued on with small talk about the pack. When she told him about Jean's strange rant, Rudy chuckled and shook his head. "He and Bucky used to be strays and they think the pack is out to get them some times. They are young and they both had families before this so they might become over protective over the younger pack members. Bucky came from the deep south of Louisiana and he baby's the women in this pack like they are sweet innocent ladies."

"Esme I think would have changed his mind." Ava shrugged one shoulder.

Rudy smiled broadly and then it faded quickly when he looked up. Ava turned to see her mother standing not to far off from them, wringing her hands and chewing on her bottom lip. Ava without question stood up form her seat and touched her father's shoulder.

"Baby, I will catch you later." He patted her hand and she walked away as her mother came closer.

She made her way outside and the chill in the air made her skin prickle with tiny bumps. She walked off the porch and down to the barn, hearing a few swears and metal against metal. When she walked through the barn side door however, she was greeted with a blast heater and the smell of hay, horse manure, and car grease.

Ivan and Bucky were firmly under the hood of a car that she knew was her dad's old one. Ivan was twisting something while Bucky held a light over his hand. When she was spotted he winked and her and nodded over to a stool by a work bench. She took a seat and ran her hands through her long hair. It was time for a cut.

"Well there is a lovely face I have been waiting for all day. How was your dad?" Her uncle peeked out from the side of the hood, then turned and told Bucky to hold something.

"Good, he is talking to mom right now. I am going to be home schooled like she planned." She swung her legs slightly.

"Actually, not completely." Her uncle grunted and then straightened up from the car. "I convinced your mom to do part time, like we did with Vivie a few years back. You go to a couple of classes and then you do the rest at home, turn in work at the school. Home school through the school district. She seemed ok with it."

She blinked and then felt slight relief. It wasn't a perfect plan but she would take what she could get. "Thank you."

He shrugged and then patted the side of the car. "So, how do you like it? Another week or 2 and we will have it all fixed, right Buck?"

Few people called Bucky Buck, but Ivan found it more personal when he could call the males in his pack by their real and nick names. Bucky preferred Bucky but let his slide with his alpha. "Yes sir, just need an oil change and new tires...and some new belts."

When her uncle stood beside her, grease rag vigorously going over his hands, Ava turned toward him. "Uncle Ivan...I am not going to college."

He nodded and sighed, sniffing in as his shoulder's sagged. "I know Ava Lene, it is a terrible turn out."

"My dad told me that mom is trying to die." Ava looked at the hood of the car, seeing Bucky's body move every now and then. "If she wants to die so badly...then why not let her do it?"

"Ava." His voice was harsh and he threw the rag behind him on the work bench. "Why in moon's sake would you dare say that about your mother?"

She let out a sad laugh and looked at him. "It's not that I dare, uncle, it is that I am tired of her games. If she dies, I can go back to school, go back home even. I could go to college. No, instead I am stuck here, with a woman who until recently barely recognized me as her daughter."

"Ava, I know what it seems, but you have to find it in your heart to forgive your mother, no matter what she does. Like you do with your father. You love him and forgive him when he does things like this, when he drops his world for Ingrid. I know it's hard baby and you're lonely, but please, don't beg for some thing I know would tear you apart inside." Her uncle kissed her forehead and walked towards the door, telling Bucky he had engagements other places.

Ava sighed and looked at her hands. It really would be better if her mother did die, she was sure. She couldn't even find it in her heart for sorry for the thought.

"I hated my dad, like you hate your mom."

She turned to see Bucky leaning against the car, a cocky smile on his face. She crossed her arms and turned her head away from him. He continued on. "He took us away from the pack we grew up with and he began to beat the shit out of my mom and little brother. He tried on me but I was too big and I hit harder. I don't know why he did it." He stood up straight and gave her a serious look, his blue eyes losing all the humor in them. "One day my mom bought a silver knife and had enough."

She looked at him as he knocked two fingers on the roof of the car. "She killed him?"

"Both of them." He scoffed. "She couldn't believe she killed the love of her life and just ended it. But even though I hated him so much, the amount of morning I did for that man still burdens me. Don't ever wish for your mother to succeed, no matter what she does." He nodded at her and turned and began to work on the car once more.

While she walked out of the barn and back to the inn, she felt the guilt rise in her stomach. _She still is my mother...I still love her like one._

* * *

The Five. That was all that came to Ava's mind when she heard the loud cracking of wood and hoots and hollars coming from the forest area. After Bucky gave his word of advice she went into the kitchen to find Esme in a tiff. There was a pack meeting tonight and it was not a good one. Ava found refuge on the porch with a cheesy novel from her aunt's stash. Her father would be attending as well and her mother was no where to be found.

She felt the swing move and an arm being tossed around her shoulders. "Hey honey, did ya miss me?"

She closed the book and looked Axel in the eye. "Don't you have some town to maim or innocent people to cause fear too?"

He shrugged and picked his teeth with his pinky nail. "I was at school all day doing that and I am completely content with the suspension I got for calling a t-bagging football jock a dick."

She shrugged him off in disgust. "You are grotesque and crude." She stood up and hugged the book to her chest.

"I like big words." He followed and stood in her way. "I am going to go hunting tonight. You should come."

She blinked a few times and her lips thinned. "I don't think so. I am not really one for hunting things that by law, will end up in some one dying." She dodged around him and hurried around the corner towards the back door.

"You act like I am the plague or some thing." He stepped in front of her again. "But, even if it has been a while, I still think you are a sweet little piece of tail." He grinned and tugged on some hair by her shoulder.

She shrugged and glared at him. "And that is why you are the 'plague'." She rushed through the door and into the dining area, where a large amount of pack mates were already sitting and waiting for Ivan and Esme.

Not seeing her mother she stood back behind Renata and Magda who were avidly talking to Gwendolyn about the boy's and school. Next to her stood a couple of males who were almost past their prime, their mates listening in on the conversation next to them.

"I see you heard about the meeting." Her cousin slouched next to her. "You wanna know why we have to meet up like this?" She gave her a dirty look while Vivian crossed her legs.

Ava pulled her sleeves down over her hands to prevent her from hitting her blonde cousin. "Why Vivian?"

"Because your stupid mom ran off and now dad is freaking out that the town will find her before we do. You 2 are nothing but trouble here." Vivian glared forward and kept the scornful look on her face.

"Sorry to cause such an inconvenience to you, but at least she isn't shoving her tongue down some idiots throat even when my alpha says I shouldn't." She bit back and she saw her cousin coil like she was about to say something but more pack members moved in closer as more came in. Vivian stood up and angrily walked over to were the Five were buzzing around in a corner. Her father came in shortly, followed by Ivan and Esme.

Rudy stood by his daughter and Ivan and Esme made it into the middle of the room, quieting the pack as they did so. Ivan held up his arms and looked around. "As you have heard, we have a missing pack mate. I gathered you here to rid of the rumors. She is not out to kill humans and she is not going to reveal us. She is just hunting for a few days." He looked at Esme who kept her eyes on her brother. Ava found herself leaning against his arm and her father kissing the top of her head.

"As for other news, or a warning I should say, any one caught down by the town area in their fur will answer to me. We almost risked exposure and if they find up here...it will be Louisiana all over again." He sent a stern look over at the Five's direction. "As for the business, since we checked out our last visitor, we are going to take the weekend off and celebrate the new year, with Jenny and Adam's wedding." He pointed to the said couple and a few clapped, others hollered. Jenny waved shyly while Adam squeezed his fiance's shoulder's and planted a kiss on her red cheek.

Ava looked at the door to see Bucky and Jean standing there, a laid back Gabriel behind them. She didn't see any of Jean's anger from earlier and wondered if it only had been a drunken rage. Bucky noticed her and winked at her, sending a sly smile her way. She rolled her eyes. Men were such pigs.

"The other thing I was going to tell you all, is that any hunting, outside of the perimeter is strictly forbidden. I am not blaming any of you, but there has been one to many missing hikers in this area since we have set up business. It is all a matter of time if this does not stop."

Ava wondered, if the Five had anything to do with it or if it was a rogue with in the pack. Her eyes skirted back over to Jean.

Once the meeting was over and pack member's began to disperse, Rudy bid Ava good bye. "I will be back here in about a month or so, for a weekend." He said. Ava knew better.

Once she had made it to the safety of her room, she took refuge on her bed, burying her face into the pillow. She hoped that tomorrow, that her own schooling, would start.

* * *

**Kinda a sloppy ending I know...but we are moving forward my minions!**

**Please tell me your thoughts and if needed, asked those questions**.


	4. Chapter 4

**What a crazy past couple of months it has been. I would like to thank you guys for reading and supporting my work, even if it takes ****forever**** to update ****this**** silly thing. I try not to get to personal on here, but on Christmas Eve, my good friend of 9 years; my old study hall buddy and the love of my life ****of**** 2 years, proposed to me. Ladies and gentlemen, it is my last year as a single woman!**

**Since that is out there, you should also know that updating will be very hard and few. I hope you guys can be patient...**

**Still feel free to drop a review, even if you are unhappy, I do like to hear ****feedback****!**

**-Jane**

* * *

Ava's mother didn't show up that week or the next, but her Uncle tried to reassure her that they knew where she was and that she would come back break was what Ava needed.

Esme received her official homeschooling curriculum and the approved books. When Ava was done with work in the mornings, she would spend her time in various spots, enjoying the personal time and having some type of stability in her strange life. One day she found herself doing a weeks' worth of work because she found the book to be enjoyable to read and writing the paper was just as enjoyable.

But after a while, the simple bliss rubbed away and Ava became extremely lonely. Even surrounded by pack members and occasional guests, she felt like an outsider and on her own. She wondered if she needed to interact with them more, so she tried taking up on some of Axel's offers and hung out with the Five and Vivian, but she found that worse than being alone. Axel threw sexual puns at her and every girl he came across, Rafe and Vivian were always attached to each other, while the other's bantered and found even more lewd things to do.

She had no one to talk to. Well, any one she wanted to talk to. Even though they were older, Gabriel, Jean, and Bucky seemed to have better things than to hit on girls and make out. Bucky continued to work on her car while Gabriel welded in the back of the barn/shop area. Jean just seemed to drift between the two and adding his two bits now and then. Even though she didn't trust them, they were easier to handle.

After work, she did her usual homework and then grabbed her sketch pad and a pencil and sat in the loft area in the barn, enjoying the quiet and she dug her toes into the hay, smiling as it slightly crushed. The full moon had passed and her body didn't feel the dying need to change into the swift creature of the night. She would be able to sleep tonight, even though now she felt drowsy.

After a few lines to a sketch with no real purpose, she found her spot to comfortable. She would get covered in hay, but that was not the worst thing she had been covered in. The next thing she knew something was itching her nose.

"You are not supposed to be up here, kiddo."

The smell of car grease, cigarettes, and men's bar soap told Ava that Bucky was interrupting her small nap. She sneezed when she felt the piece of hay go up her nose and he chuckled as her eyes fluttered open. He was grinning at her and he was filthy. His arms, shirt, and the thighs of his pants were smeared in grease. Strangely, she found herself attracted to his messy appearance.

"What time is it?" She yawned and stretched, groaning happily as her joints popped in relief. She would run well tonight.

"Time for you to get up. I have a gift for you." He held out his hand to her to help her up but she shook her head and stood on her own. Bucky plucked a hay steam from her hair and then proceeded toward the stairs. "I didn't know you were an artist."

She bent down and picked up her book quickly, hugging it to her chest like a life line.

"No, it's just a hobby." She followed him down to the shop area, where he was standing proudly by her little car. She kept her book close to her chest and looked at him, waiting for him to talk.

"Well my sweet puppy dog, I have fixed your ride, or as you kids say: 'pimped'." He grinned, as if laughing at his own joke. She raised her brow and nodded. He may be older than her, but the way he said that made him seem way much older.

"That would be great, if I had a license." She shrugged one shoulder and tilted her head. "But thank you." She had to thank him; he did fix her car after all.

He rolled his eyes and patted the top of the car. "Well good thing this thing is an automatic and not a stick shift woman or this would be impossible." He tossed a flash of silver at her and she dropped her book as she tried to catch them, realizing that they were the keys.

"What is 'this'?" She picked up her book and set it on a stool near the work bench. She then proceeded to stare at him with as much annoyance as she could. Maybe she did need to work on her people skills.

His smile widened and nodded at the car. "Your Uncle wants me to teach you to drive down to town so you can run errands. We can't trust the Five anymore and Esme is getting busy with the wedding season starting soon. Our gardens need extra tending."

She raised her eyebrows and pressed her lips together. "So, you are going to teach me how to drive."

"Yes."

"And eventually I will be driving in town."

"Yes."

She chewed on her lip and crossed her arms across her chest. "And what makes you qualified to teach me the fundamentals on how to drive."

"Well Albert Einstein, not to brag but I taught the Five and I used to drive the only taxi that was in town." He walked over to her side, which was thepassenger's side and opened the door and slid in. "So, since we have wasted daylight, I suggest getting your little ass into the car." He ended the sentencewith closing the door.

She stood there for a moment and contemplated on growing her claws and slashing the tires. Then she wouldn't have to get in the death contraption. But at the same time, Bucky and her Uncle did fix the car and this actually was a sign of trust and that her Uncle believed that she could take on some responsibility.

She sniffed and walked to the other side of the car, praying to the moon goddess that she would not kill or harm anything with a heartbeat.

* * *

_Bucky's POV_

He had never seen such a timid girl but then again he had never met anyone like her. And he supposed that timid was the wrong term for her, as cautious was the more appropriate word.

She was just so tense. But he had to admit, she was a natural when it came to driving. Her only problem was that Bucky made the break work...to well. For the sixth time in 5 minutes, he prevented slamming into the dash board of the little 85' Audi Quattro. He was lucky he had supernatural reflexes or he would have been part of the car.

"For Moon's sake..." He grumbled, watching her mortified face. "It is a twig, not a deer, you don't have to stop or slam on the break because a 12" stick is in the road." They hadn't made it very far because of her braking problem. It was like she believed the tires were made of balloons.

She blinked and shook her head looking at him with wide eyes. "I don't want to pop the tires."

He rubbed his face and motioned a half circle with his hand. "Drive around it then, but please, for the sake of the brake pads, do not hit the brake that hard unless you are stopping for a good reason." He sat back and sighed. This was impossible. But Ivan firmly believed his niece was capable to run errands to town. Bucky and the other adults were getting ready for wedding season. The summer was busy around there, since they had all those beautiful trees and Esme's garden-

"Damn it kiddo!"

She hit that break again. He was seconds away from swatting her for each time she thought that break was the answer for everything. She gripped the steering wheel and bit her lip. _If she wasn't so cute..._

That is where he drew his line. It was thoughts like those that would lead him down that dark path and in the wrong lane with the alpha. He liked the home he was in now.

He had been thinking those thoughts for a while now and he heard the males in the pack talking. The older ones were talking about how they had to watch the young ones and the young ones were trying to figure out how to outsmart the old ones. Ava was no Vivian, but that did not mean she was not beautiful. And after she was 16, by pack law, any male could have her. The thing was that she was terribly young and was too fragile. He could never get her to joke with him or smile and she looked mortified by what most of the pack did. But it wasn't her fault...

He truly hoped her mother never came home.

"I'm sorry! I just feel like I am going to ruin the car by running over everything!" She pointed at the extremely sharp rock in the middle of the dirt road. He had to admit to himself, the tires would have not passed that test. She sighed and parked the car. "Bucky...let's face it, this is a terrible idea."

_Agreed_. "No, you are fine, you just...you just..." He leaned back into the seat and looked out toward the dead road. She just needed to quit being scared of everything.

"I just need to run away." She said, as if talking to herself, forgetting he was there. She sounded so old but she was saying such a juvenile thing.

He frowned and looked at her with confusion. "What the hell made you say that?"

She must not have realized she was talking out loud because she looked shocked that he heard her. "Nothing, I was just thinking out loud and it was a stupid thought anyway." She went for the gear and gripped it.

"Do you want to run away?" He asked her softly, wondering if that was really what she wanted. People, not even loup-garou, said things unless they really meant them.

She looked ashamed and it made Bucky sorry for asking, but really he wanted her to trust him. With her mother MIA, her father back in Maryland, and her other family constantly busy with the inn (not to mention she was not right with Vivian and the Five), she was on her own. No one to talk to. It made him sad to see a pack member to alienated, even if sometimes it was on purpose.

She shrugged. "I got my home schooling all far ahead and my job is good and not to demanding. I don't have a bad life here at all. This is a good home. I shouldn't complain." She began to run her fingers through that long, dark hair.

Bucky turned in his seat and draped his arm over the back of the seat. "Ava, you are most selfless creature I have ever stumbled upon, you know that? And so far I have yet to determine if it is a bad thing or not."

Her brows knitted together and she puffed up slightly. "How is it bad? Explain yourself oh wise one how not constantly thinking about myself is a bad thing."

He looked behind them to see if the road was still clear and seeing that the coast was clear, reached over and cut the engine, despite the questioning look on her face. "Well for starters, you do not take care of yourself. Do you even have friends back home?"

The resigned look on her face told him no. "Do books and the neighbor's cat count?"

He shook his head and pursed his lips, thinking. "So I guess you don't date either."

"Boys are like a bunch of white crayons to me. Useless." She smacked her lips. "Dating isn't something I really go out of my way for since really you have to be friends first. My social skills extend and end at 'hi' and then casual glances every now and then. I mean, look at the dweebs that I have to look forward to as potential mates if I stay here. I'll just die a bitter, angry virgin who casts hexes on people. All I need to do to achieve that is hang around Aunt Persia."

Bucky started to laugh. She was witty and absolutely ridiculous. Where did this girl come from? But she was right; her pickings for future mates were pretty pathetic. "Ok, you win. The Five are pretty terrible." He wanted to show her that maybe life here wasn't so horrible. He cleared his throat and nodded at the steering wheel. "So you can either let me get in the driver's seat or drive into town. I wanna show you something."

He didn't have to ask twice. She was out of the driver's seat in seconds and his larger body replaced her's and he started the car when she was in her seat. "Ok, you can take me to town but if you murder me, please send my teeth to my daddy." She sent him a dry look.

"Oh don't worry your pretty little face. Murder isn't one of my hobbies."

* * *

As was expected, the library was closed. It being a small town, the library was the size of a small house. Bucky parked the car in the ally way and led her to one of the windows that was higher up than the others. Bucky was not as tall as Gabriel, who was unnaturally tall, but he easy could reach it. She looked around and then at him with a confused face. "You brought me here to break into the library? What are you gonna do? Pee in the corners?"

He scoffed. "No, the High School kids beat me to it. I want to show you something else." He tapped the window and like he knew it would, it budged slightly. "The kids broke this window a couple of years ago and the library has extremely poor funding, so they haven't been able to fix the latch. I offered to fix it and I did, until I broke it again, but only you and I now know that." He pushed the window open and reached inside for the ruler he had set on the shelf by it. He propped the window open and looked at Ava. "Ladies first."

She shook her head and looked around nervously again. "Seriously, what are we doing?"

He held out his hand toward her and raised his eyebrows. "You will never know if you don't go through that window."

She stood there a moment, her face hard in thought. "If we get caught, I am telling aunt Esme you drugged me and threw me in there." She took his hand and let him lift her up into the window seal. Once she made it through the window, he lifted himself inside and landed quietly on the squeaky floor boards that were covered in terrible green carpet. It smelt like old books and powdery perfume, which was from the little old lady who kept the library. He shut the window and watched as Ava began to flip through some of the categories.

"Marie Antoinette. No presidential books, but there are 4 books about Marie Antoinette." She shook her head and kept looking.

He tapped her shoulder and waved her a sign to follow him further in. She obliged and abandoned the sad collection of books. The library was 2 stories, the one they were in now the lower one. The 2nd story consisted of a study room, 1 computer, and an old film projector. The walls were decorated with old wall paper that was adorned with tacky yellow flowers. The pictures of people in history and famous art works were dusty and some of them were cricked.

"When I was fixing the window, I went upstairs to talk to Mrs. Betthauer and she and her granddaughter were using the old film projector up here." He said to her as the kept climbing the stairs, passing more pictures and posters about how reading was good for the mind and soul. "It was a Charlie Chapman movie." He stepped into the room and pointed to the chairs on the other side of the room, where the table with the old projector on it. He pulled down the white canvas.

"A silent movie?" She looked at him like he was lying. He didn't blame her. Usually men took girls to see their hot rods or near the bar to hang with their rowdy friends around her and sometimes in general. Bucky admitted he was one of them, but he didn't want to impress Ava. She didn't seem type.

He turned around and looked at her. "You remember that story I told you about my dad and my mom?"

She nodded, her shoulders going slightly ridged, but she remained silent. He continued with his story. "Well, before all that, my mom told me she used to watch silent movies with my dad, before they got hitched and had kids. She took me to a couple after we left the pack we were with back home." He sat next to her and worked the contraption just as his mother used to. "This is the closest I get to home some times."

Her face softened and as the movie flickered on to the projection screen, she relaxed and Bucky knew she was thinking. After many silent moments of watching people silently play out a script, she spoke. "My dad told me mom wants to kill herself. I'm here because she wants me to be and I guess they didn't want me alone with her. Less chance of me finding her you know."

Bucky took a deep breath and closed his eyes. He missed his mother and his kid siblings, but he couldn't go back to that life. They were with other family now any way, safe. He could relate with the suicide. His mother couldn't live with herself. Killing the one she loved, even to defend herself, was too much.

"I just want to go back to school, try to live my life...and I can't." He opened his eyes and looked over to see silent tears going down her face. "And the worst of it is that my dad can't do anything to save us both. I get mad at him but really...I wouldn't be able to do anything either if I was him."

He couldn't help it. It was insensitive of him and perhaps it was downright mean, but he began to laugh. It was so sad to see someone suffering and it was wrong of him to laugh at her, but what a pair they made. "We are about as pathetic as they come, huh kiddo?"

He expected her to be angry to curse him and feel sorry for even sharing her feeling with him, but she began to smile and chuckled softly, wiping her face clean of those tears. "Yeah, pathetic. I have been looking for a word to describe what I am. That is a good one."

"I think there are a lot of words to describe you but I don't think pathetic is an actual definition." He switched off the silent movie and sat back, staring at the empty projection screen. They seemed to sit in silence forever and strangely it was comfortable. He didn't feel obligated to talk or make an expression of any sort. It was nice for once, to be himself. Sure, he had friends and he liked to hang out with them, but if he had shown them what he just showed Ava, they would ask if he needed a tampon.

"You know, I would say we should hang out more often, but some people might think that is super creepy." Ava broke their silence and sighed. "Figures."

He smiled and nodded. "Oh yeah, because I am super creepy after all."

She rolled her eyes and stood up, slowly making her way toward the stairway. "I want ice cream, so get up you creepy old man."

* * *

After ice cream Bucky drove them back home, explaining to Ivan that Ava wasn't ready to drive just yet. When they had pulled up, a couple of the visitors of the inn looked at them oddly and Bucky had to bit the urge to growl at them. He didn't like be questioned. His motives were pure. Ivan on the other hand didn't find anything wrong with the trip and didn't question Bucky. He was probably glad that Ava was able to relax for a while.

They made their separate ways after that, seeing as night was going to replace the sunshine soon. He could already feel his blood boil, his bones ache, for that sweet change. He wanted to hunt tonight, howl at the moon, and sing to the moon goddess, but not now.

He put the car back in the barn, not liking how it shifted when he was driving. He would work on it later.

"Yo, Bucky, where did you go?"

He turned around to see Gabriel standing there, beer in hand and in the other an unopened one. It seemed like they drank a lot, but really, they were rarely drunk. "Ah, well the little pip squeak needed some lessons on how to operate a vehicle."

Gabriel smiled broadly. He was something to behold at times. He was young, very young, but he was already taller than the tallest men in the pack, with shoulders as wide as a door way. He was good looking to and he knew it. He had a strong jaw line and tan skin, dark, thick hair. His eyes were almost an unnatural shade of blue. Some of the pack women had already made their way behind a bush with him once or twice. Bucky used to think he was all brawn and no brain, but he surprised him when he was around his younger sisters, acting like a father, helping his mother with her personal bills and anything else. "Was there success?"

Bucky scoffed. "Hardly. She thinks the tires are going to pop on everything." He stole the beer from Gabriel's hand and leaned against the side of the car. "How was the city today?"

Gabriel chuckled and sucked in some air. "I will be howling for other reasons tonight, that is for sure. I went into a strip club."

Bucky wasn't sure if he was jealous or disgusted. He wasn't particularly fond of humans, no matter how attractive they could be. Usually humans told stories about werewolves, vampires, witches and other super natural beings to scare their children into behaving; monsters under the bed, demons. But Bucky always believed that humans were and always will be the true monsters. And he sure didn't condone Gabriel going to strip clubs, only to enjoy the sites, but to actually enjoy a woman of their species? He would bring death to them. In the past months, Gabriel had claimed to have been in many of these clubs. He hoped his friend understood what the consequences could be.

He let it go. "You are going to catch a disease."

Gabriel took a chug of beer, the smile never leaving his face. "Oh I hope it is a good one than, because it was worth it."

After a couple hours with his friend, Bucky made it toward the woods, the moon making an appearance. He didn't want to come back until the sun was coming over the mountains. He wanted the night, all of it and all it had to offer. The scents, the sounds, the change.

When he was out of sight of the inn, he peeled off his clothes with claws that refused to wait for his command. His pelt already sprung on his belly and was making way all over. His mouth was barely a snout before he took off, a deep bay in his throat.

Tonight he would be a predator.

* * *

**Sorry that took so long guys. I don't have a computer of my own so I have to wait until ****someone ****will let me on theirs. Boo. ****Anyway****, I hope you like it and hope that is wasn't to down in the dumps.**

Madeline

**Beta-ed by: ItaSaku1**


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